Automatic electric switch.



No. 746,695. PATENTED DEC. 15, 1903. W. S. CUTHRIE.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1903.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented December 15, 1903.

WILLIAM S. GUTHRIE, OF TERRELL, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,695, dated December 15, 1903.

Application filed June 19, 1908. Serial No. 162,298. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM S. GUTHRIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Terrell, in the county of Kaufman and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Automatic Electric Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel electrical switch apparatus of that type in which a series of switches are intermittently operated for the purpose of closing and opening the circuits of a series of translating devicesas, for instance, the lamps of changeable displaysigns, the electromagnetic key-operating motors of automatic piano -playing apparatus, or similar devices employed for various other purposes and arranged for interchangeable intermittent operation.

The object of the invention is to produce a switch apparatus of the specified character embodying a series of switches and a rotary switch-operating member common thereto and arranged to be driven bya motor of suitable character to efiect the operation of the switches in any desired sequence or order, the various elements of the apparatus being combined in simple, durable, and compact form.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of my switching apparatus with the translating devices and the wiring shown in diagram. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same subject-matter with a diagrammatical showing of the operating-motor. In this figure one of the switches is shown closed and the positions of the parts at the moment the switch-arm is released are indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the switch in the open position. Fig. 4 is a transverse section showing the relation of the yielding contact members or posts to each other and to the switch-arms.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The primary switch operating member, which is common to the several switches of the series, is indicated by the numeral 1 and in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is in the form of arotary drum, mounted on a shaft 2, provided with bearings in the bifurcated end of a suitable base or switchboard 3 of any desired form and of suitable non-conductive material. The drum 1 is provided upon its periphery with suitable meansas, for instance, circumferential series of lugs or projections 4 for effecting an intermittent operative connect-ion between the drum and a series of movable switch-arms 5, mounted on the switchboard 3 in a manner to be described.

The projections 4. of each circumferential series are designed to be successively presented to a switch-arm through the rotation of the drum, rotary movement beingimparted to the latter by any suitable meansas, for instance, a motor 6, (shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2,) geared to the drum, as by a belt 7. The switch arms 5 are pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends,and while the particular character of this mounting may be varied within wide limits I prefer to provide the several switch-arms with comparatively long bearing-sleeves 8, rotatably carried by a shaft 9, common to the several switch-arms and supported by brackets 10, upstanding from the base 3 at or adjacent to the opposite sides thereof. The front ends 11 of the switch-arms 5 are disposed in close proximity to the drum for engagement with the lugs 4., as heretofore stated, and the rear ends 12 of said arms are disposed above contact members in the form of vertically-yielding binding posts 13, extended upwardly through openings in the base 3. The rear end of each switch-arm 5 is normally held in an elevated position out of contact with the adjacent post 13 by a spring 14:, mounted in any suitable manner, but preferably secured to the base, as shown, and having its upper free end bearing against the under side of the switch-arm.

Each contact memberor post 13 is provided at its lower end below the base or switchboard With an enlarged head 15, limiting the upward movement of the post under the impulse of a spring 16, secured at one end of the bottom of the switchboard 3 and bearing at its free end 17 against the under side of a binding-screw 1S, screwed into the head 15 of the post 13 and serving to retain in electrical connection therewith one of a series of feed-wires 19, leading, respectively, to translatingdevices20 ofanysuitablecharacter,said devices being preferably though not necessarily provided with a common return-wire 21.

The several switch-arms 5 are in constant electrical connection with the main feed or line wire 22,between which and the common return is located a suitable source of electrical energy (not shown) designed to be placed in circuit with the translating devices by means of the switching apparatus. The manner of effecting the electrical connection between the line-Wire 22 and the several switch-arms 5 is susceptible of variation; but a simple and efficient arrangement comprehends the attachment of the wire to one end of the shaft 9 by means of a binding-screw 23, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will of course be understood that the shaft 9, the sleeves 8, and the switch-arms 5 are constructed of metal or other suitable conductive material and that the drum 1, as well as the switchboard or base 3,is of non-cond ucting material, so that while the contact of one of the switcharms with one of the posts 13 will close a circuit through one of the translating devices it will be impossible to otherwise secure a closed circuit. Itis desirable to have the several switch-arms 5 normally disposed in the same plane parallel with the switchboard 3, and for this reason the latter is provided with a raised head 24, constituting a stop for arresting the several switch-arms in proper position when the latter are swung under the impulse of the springs 14.

Briefly the operation of my switching apparatus is as follows: The several circuitclosing devices, each comprising a switch-arm 5 and a contact member or post 13, being in the positions indicated in Fig. 3, the drum 1 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. When one of the projections 4 on the drum engages the front end of a switch-arm, the latter is swung to the position indicated in Fig. 2, this movement serving to bring the rear end of the switch-arm in contact with the subjacent contact element or post 13 to close the circuit through one of the translating devices 20. As the drum continues to rotate, the switch-arm will continue to move until it reaches its disengaging position, (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) this further movement of the arm after the circuit is closed being accommodated by the yielding of the post 13 against the resistance of the spring 16. The projection having passed the end of the switch-arm, said arm will be restored to its normal position by its spring 14, thus breaking the circuit previously closed. As the rear end of the arm is moved away from the post 13 the latter will be elevated by its spring 16 until arrested by the contact of its head 15 with the under side of the switchboard 3.

While I have shown only two circuit-closers and a corresponding number of circumferential series of lugs on the drum, it is obvious that the apparatus may be organized to serve any number of translating devices by simply multiplying the parts described, and it is equally obvious that the circuits may be closed in any desired order or sequence by the proper relative location of the lugs 4 of the several series, that the frequency of operation of any particular circuit-closer may be determined by the relative location of the lugs arranged to operate the same, and that the duration of the closure may be determined by the dimensions of the individual lugs.

It is thought that from the foregoing the construction, operation, and advantages of my switching apparatus will be clearly understood; but while the present embodiment of the invention is thought at this time to be preferable I do not limit myself to the structural details defined. On the contrary, I desire to reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications,and variations of the illustrated structure as may come fairly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is 1. In a switching apparatus, the combination with suitable electrical connections; of a circuit-closing device comprising a pivoted switch-arm, and a contact member in the form of a binding-post mounted to yield endwise to permit further movement of the arm after the circuit has been closed, and an operating device having a projection movable in a path obstructed by the switch-arm.

2. In a switching apparatus, the combination with suitable electrical connections, and a switchboard; of a pivoted switch-arm on the board, a binding-post extended through the board to be engaged by one end of the arm, a spring mounted below the switchboard and urging the post endwise, means for limiting the movement of the post, and a rotary operating member having projections disposed to engage and swing the switch-arm.

3. In a switching apparatus, the combination with suitable electrical connections, and a switchboard; of a drum mounted at one end of the board and having a circumferential series of projections, yielding binding-posts movably mounted in the board at the opposite end thereof, switch-arms pivoted on the board with their front ends disposed in the paths of the projections on the drum and with their rear ends disposed to contact with the yielding posts, a feed-wire in electrical connection with the arms, and distributing-wires connected to the several posts.

4. In a switching apparatus, the combination with suitable electrical connections, and a switchboard; of a drum at one end thereof provided with projections, yielding contact members at the opposite end of the board, a shaft supported above the switchboard, and a series of switch-arms provided with bearing-sleeves rotatably mounted on the shaft, the opposite ends of said arms being operascrews in the heads, a shaft mounted on the board and having a binding-screw at one end thereof, a series of spring-retracted switcharms each having a bearing-sleeve carried by the shaft and each having its opposite ends in operative relation to the drum and a bind- 15 ing-post respectively, a feed-Wire retained by the screw in the shaft, and distributing-wires conducted to the several posts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in the 20 presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM s. GUTHRiE.

Witnesses:

RoY H. RowELL, JOHN C. CLARK. 

